Reply To: 12-09-09 – Low Key

[orionid]

I have a working definition of low key. For this theme, are we using super strict rules? I mean, If a shot embraces the concept of low key, but also has an element of the pic that is backlit – would that be allowed?

Here is one that I’d love to use, but I don’t know if it meets the criteria. Maybe with the new description, it does. What do you think?

The new description doesn’t really change anything in the lighting requirement, only clarifies that the majority of the tones in the image will be in the shadow range. Otherwise, the theme still requires only a single light source. Unless orionid wants to tweak things a bit, the way I read it is that other light sources (including reflectors, fill cards, etc) in addition to that single light source would disqualify the photo.

That being said, it may be somewhat difficult to police that, depending on the photo…

I’m not neccesarily wanting to change anything this close to go-time. What I had typed earlier was to highlight the differences between low key by definition and the theme for mopsy‘s and anyone else’s understanding.

U-man, it looks pretty evident that your first one has only one light for both the subject and the background, so that’s fine. Your second one, while low-key by nature, doesn’t strictly fit the theme. That being said, it’s obvious that the sky isn’t providing any of the illumination (other than itself), and I’d be inclined to allow it.

Soosh, I’m having a tough time making a call on yours. I’m guessing you’re asking more about style than that particular composition, and like I said with U-man‘s, the sky is obviously not providing the illumination, but in your case, it definately changes the whole image. Best I can say is use your better judgement. A glacier lit up by a KC light on your jeep/truck/car and backdropped by a starlit sky, while stunning, would not really fit, but an ambient-lit sky above the trees in your “road-flare-in-the-forest” shot would have been fine.

The moon, while having much less diffuse lighting than the sun, pretty much falls under the same rules. If you can isolate the specular properties of it via window, cracked wall, etc., then go for it.